Declan Murphy wrote:

> That unwritten rule seems to have been in place for donks. Even if you
> still have your passport and gaigin card in your pocket, brushing off
> the I'm-here-to-help-you rentacop with "I'm a resident with a re-entry
> permit so I'm going to line up with the Japanese in the shorter
> queues" has always been simple. From November 23rd though, I'll have
> to line up with the tourists (even APEC card holders will have to),
> and since only Narita will have an automated gate for pre-registered
> gaigin guests (ie permanent residents etc), will have to do so each
> and every time I use Chubu, Osaka, and so on.

According to my source ... and, again, it isn't anything official ... 
keeping up the behavior of "I'm just going home" will get you left 
alone.  The problem seems to be that the law allows them to have one 
photo and fingerprint copy tied to your residence or one tied to your 
visitor's entry, but not both.  They're hoping that if they employ lots 
of Vogon poetry, screaming "Resistance is useless" a lot, you won't 
notice or remember.

They also said that if you are with small children and a wife who are 
all carrying their Japanese passports sending you to the other line will 
look extremely mean spirited and they'd tend to avoid a confrontation. 
They recommended carrying the smallest one and looking helpless, if 
necessary.

> My understanding is that the "Re-entry Permit" signage at the airports
> is already being removed in preparation for the change.

I never let a little thing like that stand in the way of what I want to 
do, but I have had years of playing spoiled foreigner and it hardly 
seems like the time to give up.

>> Besides, they've already got your photo and fingerprint at your
>> kuyakusho.
> 
> Exactly - so other than sucking up to Sepponia, what is the point of
> fingerprinting and photographing permanent residents etc coming back
> home from gaikokuland?

The "special conditions resident" classification is supposed to be for 
Koreans but, the way it is written in the guidelines, it can apply to 
anyone who has been in Japan more than three years.  I am on spouse visa 
#7 but I guess I could bite the bullet and go for permanent residence if 
there was some incentive.

Oh, yeah, I almost forgot -- You won't have to be photographed or 
fingerprinted if they clear you through Immigration at your private 
business jet ...

-- 
CL